Watertight joint



Patented Dec. 12, 1933 T. l ritsohe, Bay Village, Ohio, assignor to Bernard Schoch; Indianapolis, Ind.

Application May 5,1932. \SerialNo. 609,444 r ".s'ciaims. (01. 72-145) This invention relates to: a joint iorfuse in building construction and particularly; to the joint between'the upper edge ofyabath tub or other plumbing fixture andfthe' wallof the room in which itis installed.

with 'the wall of the m m on three sides or they are located in a corner of thefroorn and contact with the wall thereof on two sides. The wall of the room is usually tiled down to the top lip of the bath tub and it is necessary that a tight joint be provided between the lower edge of the tiled wall and the top lip oft he tub. When a tub is installed in a new house a water-tight joint can be formed between the top lip of the tub and the" lower edge of the tiled wall by means of plaster zo or other commonly used material. However, as the structural members of the house or building expand or contractfor whenthehouse settles the top lip of the tub generally moves away from! the lower edge of thetiled wall and opens a cone" ztsiderable crack between the top lip of the tub and the edge of thewall, which allows splashed water t'oseep in between the bath tub' and'the wall. Of course, fresh plaster may beapplie'dQ' a0 'structural'membe'rs ,andithefsettling of the house continues from time to time, plaster must be:

constantly applied to the crack in order to seal thesame. K The principalobject of the present invention tight joint will be providedbetween the'top edge of a bath tub or other fixture and the wall of the room, notwithstanding the expansion and ,contraction of-the structural members of the house or building or the fact that the house or.

building is undergoing a settling process.

A more specific objectis to provide a joint between the top edgeof a bath tub-or other fixture:

and the wall of the room which isexpansible and contractible, soasto compensate for changes occasioned by'the settling of the ,house or building, or theexpansion and contraction of thestrucof the lowermost reverse fold 16a rests upon the.

tural members thereof A further object is to'providea joint construc- 'tion between the top lip 'of a builtin bath tub or "other plumbing fixture and the 'loweredgeyof a tile wall which is alwaysj effective asa water tight seal and which forms the lowerfedge ofthe tiled or plastered Wall. l Additional and further objects of the invention At the present time 'bath tubs; that are installed in dwellings and other'buildings are of the built in type, that is, the tubs are. either set into 'a nook in the bathroom and contact but" since the expansion .and contraction 10f the i 'is to. provide afconstruction such that a water- 7 the building or tothe lathing or other suitable" will become apparent hereinafter during the de-. tailedf description of an embodiment thereof, which is illustrated in theaccompanying draw- 1 ing, wherein a Fig. 1 isa fragmentary perspective view of a room having a tiled wall and in'which is in-" stalled a built in,'bath tub portions of the wall and tub'being shown in section; 3

Fig. 2- is a fragmentary view,-on an enlarged scale, similar to Fig.1, but showing more in detail a construction of the joint betweenthe top edgeof the tub and the wallof the room, and.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective detail of the joint, the wall and tub being omitted in this view.

of the built in type is shown as installed in the corner of a room'llwith two walls of the room engaging the top edge or lip of the'tub, it being understood of course, that the tub could be 'in-* stalled in a nook with three of the walls ofthe room engaging the top lip of 'the tub on three sides. As is customary in the built in-itype' of g .1 Referring to the drawing a portion of. a tub. l0

bath tub the tub is provided at the upper .edgeof its wallengaging sides with'a laterally and down-I wardly extending flange forming a top lip 12. A1:

water-tight seal or joint must'be providedbe tween the top lip 12 and the wall of the room in order toprevent splashing water seeping in between the tub and the-wall. I

In accordance with the present invention 'itis proposed to employ a metal strip 13 extending the full length of the wall engaging side of the tub' and secured by means of screws 14, or other suitable securing means, to the vertical uprights 15 of members. Preferably, thisstrip is constructed similarly to metal lathing; that is, it is provided with openings or other means'that will support plaster. The strip formsfa-continuation' of' the lathing, either wood or-met'al, and the plaster U and cement are applied thereto, as'indicated at.

13a. The metal strip 13 is provided with a lat-x above the top lip 12 of-thetub and having at its free edge two or more reverse folds 16a, as clearly illustrated in the drawing. The 'bottornturn.

top lip 12 of the bath tub and there is arranged within this lowermost fold 16a a suitable pack- 'erally extending flange l6 projecting over and ing 17, which for a portion of its width engages the'top lip of the tub'beyond the end of the'bottomturnofthe lowermost reverse fold lda and forms a water-tight seal along the top lip of the tub.

tioned, as illustrated in the drawing, the packing 17 will be held in tight engagement with the top lip of the tub. Any number of the clips 18 may be employed, as desirable, it .beingnoted that these clips are spaced longitudinally of the ,wall

engaging sides of the tub. The tiles 21 are secured to the wall in the usualmaner by means of the cement and plaster, with the tiles of the lowermost row engaging the flange 16 of the strip 13.

"I hmmetalstrips 13 with their flanges 16:and

reverse folds..l6a,may be formed of any suitable metallic material, but preferably material that possesses a certainamount of flexibilitytoallow the same-tojexpand andcontract, with partloular reference to the reverse folds 16a. Wherefore, it will beseen that astthe. structural elementsrofrthe building expander contract, or as the'buildingsettles and the distance between the to plip. 12.:ofr the tub and the lower edgeof the tile walltchanges, the reverse folds 16a may expand'. or contract to compensate for. variations inthisdistance and thatthe packing. 17 will at all times be held in water sealing engagement with: the-:top'lip. of: the'tub. Therefore, having once installeda bath. tub with-1a joint or connectionbetween the top lip thereofand the lower edgenfltheztiled wall; as explained above, there willi'be no occasion. to: repair the joint, even though the structuralmembers expand or "contract ,or, thehouse or building. is undergoing a.

settling-process. a

It-will be understood that the. strips 13 may alsonber arranged along: the vertical sides of; the

tub that contactwith; the ;walls but it was thought unnecessary to illustrate-the same. herein.

Although a particular embodiment of. the invention hasbeenillustrated and described; in detail herein, it should'beunderstood that the invention is susceptible of. various modifications andzadaptations within the scopeof; the appended claims. r v

Having thus described; my invention, I claim:.

1. In combination with a bath tub having a top lipformed of a laterally extending. flange and a downwardly extending. flange and atile wall of the room. inwhich said tub .is installed, a watertight joint between saidtop lip; and. said wall comprising a member secured to the wall. and

having a laterally extending flange overlying the top lip of the tub-,; a plurality of reverse folds connected to the outer edge. of said flange with the bottom turn, of the: lowermost fold engaging the top lip of} said tub, a packing arranged in. the lowermost fold and'jengaging. the top lip of said tub,. and a clip arranged between the tub and said. wall and having at one end a hook portion e ing-the downwardly extending flangeof the lip. and at its opposite end; a laterally extending arm projecting between said reverse folds.

2. In:. combination with a bath tub having a top lip formed of a'laterally extending. flange and a tile wall of the room in which said tub is installed, a water tight joint between said top lip 3..- In combination with a bath tub having a laterally extending'top lip and the wall of the room in which said tub is installed, means formingajoint between said lip and wall comprising aportion; secured to said wall, a portion spaced from said first named portion and engaging the upper-side of said lip, an expansible and contractible portion interconnecting said portions, and a clip having a part engaging the upper side ofsaid secondnamed portion and. another part engagingthe inner side of said lip.

4,.In combination with a bathtub. having a,- laterally extending top lip and thewall of the,

1.0 ing a joint between said lip and wall comprising a portion secured to said wall and havinga later, ally extending flange forming a supportfor. the, plaster or-tiles 'of thewall, a portion spaced frorn' saidflrst named portion and engaging the upper side of. said lip,,an.expansible and contractible room in'which said tub is installed, means form portion interconnecting said above named portions, and a clip having a part engaging the up? per side-.of said secondnamed portion and another part engaging the inner side of said lip.

5. In combination with a bath tub having a, laterally extending top lipand the wall of the room'in whichsaid tub is installed, means forming a joint between saidlip andwall comprising a portionjsecured-to saidwall, a portion spaced fromsaid first namedportion and engaging the upper. side ofsaid lip, an expansible and con.-

tractible portion interconnecting saidv above named portions. and a packing gasket associated with said second named portion and engagingsaid top lip.

6. In. combination with a bath tub hayinga laterally extending, top lip and the wall of the room in which said tub is installed, means forming a. j oint between, said lip. and wall comprisin a, portionv secured. to saidwall andghaving a laterally extending flangeforming a support for the plaster or tiles thereof, a portion spaced from said first. named portion and engaging the upper side oi said lip, an expansible and contractible portion. interconnecting said. above named por-.

tions, a, gasket associated with said second named portion and engaging saidlip, and a clip having a part engaging the upper side of said second named portion. and, another part engaging the inner side of said, lip. I

7.. In combination with a bath tub having a laterally extending top lip and the wall of the room inwhich said tub is installed, a water-tight joint between saidwall and lip comprising means secured tothe wall and having a laterally extending flange overlying and spaced above said lip,' means engaging the said lip and. including a packing member, reversely curved expansible and contractible means connected to both of said above named means, and a clip. havingfaportion engaging the upper sideof said second named means and aportion engaging the inner side of said lip.

8.A device of the character described, comprising, in combination, a member adapted tov be metallic strip spaced from said first named strip and adapted to engage the upper side of a laterally extending top lip of a bath tub, and expansible and contractible metallic means connecting said strips and having an inwardly curved portion lying therebetween.

JOHN T. FRITSCHE. 

